Hurricanes, Monday, October 2, 2017

HUD

Upcoming Guidance for PHAs. The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) reports that HUD held a conference call with the three public housing agency (PHA) industry organizations, NAHRO, the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, and the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association. HUD stated that early next week it will be issuing a notice in the Federal Register detailing expedited waiver procedures for PHAs in the areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. HUD will also provide additional guidance to PHAs in non-affected areas on how they can update their disaster-related preferences so that disaster-impacted families can utilize their services.

U.S. Department of Justice

Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein announced that the Justice Department issued a memorandum to all 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and heads of the department’s law enforcement agencies providing, for the first time, department-wide guidance relating to the coordination, investigation, and prosecution of disaster fraud allegations. The National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), in operation since Hurricane Katrina, has already received hundreds of complaints across the country. The guidance is in the form of a memorandum, which among other features, requires U.S. District Attorneys in the areas impacted by the recent hurricanes to establish regional disaster fraud task forces.

HURRICANE MARIA

FEMA

Puerto Rico

By the Numbers:

$20,579,218 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) dollars obligated**

**Dollars obligated: funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.

Amendment Number 2. The initial disaster declaration is amended to include an additional 25 areas as eligible for Individual Assistance (IA).

Public Housing Rent Payment Moratorium. Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló approved a moratorium on public housing rent payments until January. He also reported that an estimated 10,000 people remain in shelters.

U.S. Virgin Islands

By the Numbers:

$10,510,000 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) dollars obligated**

**Dollars obligated: funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.

USDA

Farm Service Agency. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue stated in a media release that “Agriculture producers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands deserve the same resources under the USDA Farm Service Agency disaster programs as farmers, ranchers, and foresters in the states. This includes compensation for livestock death and feed losses, risk coverage for specialty crops, and repair of damage to agricultural and private forest land. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has a webpage describing its disaster assistance programs.

SNAP Policy for Displaced Puerto Ricans. Displaced households receiving benefits from Puerto Rico’s Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) can apply for SNAP benefits in the areas where they are currently living without closing their current case in Puerto Rico. USDA has advised all SNAP state agencies to serve NAP households using regular SNAP eligibility rules, including expedited procedures that enable them to obtain an eligibility decision within seven days. The policy is in effect until October 31.

HURRICANE IRMA

FEMA

Florida

By the Numbers: (as of 10/2)

539,809 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*

$545,442,938 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*

$356,399,454 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*

$189,043,484 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*

*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

PA Eligible Organizations. Faith-based organizations as well as other community, volunteer, and nonprofit organizations in areas eligible for FEMA Public Assistance (PA) may also apply for FEMA grants. Organizations must first apply for a disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Types of eligible organizations include private schools, hospitals, utilities, senior citizen and other community centers, food programs, education enrichment activities, day care services, disability residential services, assisted living, low income housing, homeless shelters, rehabilitation services, and performing and community arts centers.

Seminole Tribe of Florida

Disaster Declaration. President Trump declared that a major disaster exists for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. FEMA has established a Seminole Tribe of Florida Hurricane Irma major disaster webpage (DR-4341). An emergency declaration was previously made on September 9 with a FEMA webpage (EM-3388).

Georgia

By the Numbers: (as of 10/2)

2,380 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*

$2,429,169 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*

$1,629,807 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*

$799,362 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*

*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

Amendment Number 4. The initial disaster declaration is amended to allow permanent work (Categories C-G) under the Public Assistance (PA) program for all of the counties affected by Hurricane Irma. These counties were previously eligible for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A and B).

U.S. Virgin Islands

By the Numbers:

$25,056,945 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) dollars obligated**

**Dollars obligated: funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.

Amendment Number 5. The initial disaster declaration is amended to allow a 100% federal cost-share for Public Assistance (PA) debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance. Normally the federal cost-share is 75%.

HURRICANE HARVEY

FEMA

By the Numbers: (as of 10/2)

286,009 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*

$698,001,453 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*

$501,496,859 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*

$196,504,594 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*

*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the State via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.